Cardiff has always been a great foodie city packed with independent restaurants and popular bigger names meaning you are never likely to go hungry. However if you thought Cardiff couldn't get any better then 2022 has added to the illustrious list of names already on offer.
Many new restaurants have opened in Cardiff from delicious ramen to luxury dining to smaller chains expanding. Dirty burgers, hanging kebabs, pizza and Thai food are all on the menu at places to have opened up in the city in 2022. You can keep up to date with the latest What's On news by signing up to the newsletter here while you can let us know your favourite new spots in the comments.
You won't just find these gems in the city centre either as new restaurants have popped up all over Cardiff. While you might not have had a chance to visit them all yet here is a handy guide to all the restaurants that opened in Cardiff in 2022.
Franco Manca
This pizza chain finally opened in Cardiff in 2022 after years of rumours that it was coming to the city. Providing sourdough pizza, with dough made fresh on-site Franco Manca opened in Church Street which has also seen other new openings. You can read our Franco Manca review here.
Matsudai Ramen
Taking Cardiff by storm is the independent Matsudai Ramen, which quickly became a very popular spot in the city. Opening in August in Grangetown it is now nearly impossible to book a seat at Matsudai Ramen – you have got to get in there early. Matsudai Ramen started as a pop-up and mail-order venture in Cardiff before opening its first permanent home in 2022. You can read our Matsudai Ramen review here.
Fat Hippo
Claiming to sell the best burgers in Cardiff is always a big shout to make and Fat Hippo reckon they do just that. They opened in Cardiff in 2022 after already having sites across the UK including in Newcastle and Nottingham. Selling unique burgers, including a peanut butter and jelly burger and the honey monsta, Fat Hippo has hit the burger scene. You can find them in Church Street and read our review here.
Proud Mary
If you are looking for somewhere you can enjoy a drink as well as a meal head to Proud Mary. This fun bar/restaurant has a dancefloor and three floors to enjoy meaning you can easily spend all night there. Proud Mary serves bar snacks, pizzas, and burgers.
The Clubhouse
Opening in Cardiff Bay in 2022 was The Clubhouse. This nautical-themed restaurant is perfect for the setting of Cardiff Bay and serves impressive hanging kebabs so what is there not to love? You can read our review of The Clubhouse here.
Rosa's Thai
Also joining the new openings in Church Street is Rosa's Thai. This chain serves delicious Thai food in their warm and welcoming restaurant. You can read our review here.
Ivy Asia
After some controversy and delayed openings Ivy Asia opened up next to its sister restaurant The Ivy in Cardiff. The food is very tasty but comes with a price tag and you can read our review here.
Eat The Bird
For more choice when it comes to burgers head to Eat The Bird. This small chain has sites in Exeter and Taunton and is serving the dirtiest burgers. You can read our review here.
Flight Club
Another venue where you can enjoy a drink and some food is Flight Club. The “social darts” bar is a unique concept which sees darts given a "supercharged" modern makeover combined with food and free-flowing cocktails. Flight Club serve small plates, sharing platters, pizza, burgers, wraps, and more as part of their food menu.
Fowl and Fury
Finding their first permanent home Fowl and Fury has opened in Cathays. Originally starting as a pop-up in Sticky Fingers this Nashville fried chicken restaurant has been a huge hit. You can read more about Fowl and Fury and their food here.
Courts
If you are looking for a little bit of luxury head to Courts, which is on the outskirts of Cardiff and Penarth. This former Toby Carvery has been transformed into a sophisticated restaurant with a good variety of choice on the menu. You can read our review here.
Wingstack
Fast-food chicken restaurant Wingstack, specialising in chicken wings and burgers, opened its first permanent restaurant in Whitchurch Road in 2022. You can read our review here.
Karak Chaii
The Indian street food cafe Karak Chaii opened in City Road in 2022. The franchise began in Birmingham and they now have cafés in Luton and Slough with Cardiff as their first move into Wales. Selling luxury chai tea, Karak Chaii provides a stylish new café that serves all-day breakfasts and smaller tapas-style dishes.
Slamburger
Halal burger chain Slamburger opened its first Welsh restaurant in City Road in 2022. The halal burgers are made to order so you can add or take away any toppings or extras and fresh ingredients are used to create the burgers.
Fido
Offering breakfast and lunch options, as well as coffee and cake, Fido took over from the much-loved eatery Kemi's after Kemi Nevins and her son Patrick decided it was time to move on. You can find Fido in Pontcanna.
Tir a Mor
Tir A Môr, Cardiff Bay's newly-refurbished Voco Hotel restaurant, opened just in time for the Christmas season. With a new look and a brand new menu this is a great new choice in Cardiff Bay.
Chai Social
Serving "British and European Classics with an authentic Indian twist" there are a variety of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners on offer at Chai Social which opened in Whitchurch Road in 2022.
Koi No Yokan
Japanese restaurant Koi No Yokan opened in the former Buffalo Bar and takes inspiration from Izakayas, a type of Japanese bar serving small dishes alongside drinks. Koi is situated on the ground floor of the building, once inhabited by the original Buffalo Bar at 11 Windsor Place in Cardiff, and on the first floor there is a new version of the live music venue Buffalo Bar – see more on that here.
Chopstix
Noodle bar Chopstix opened its second store in Cardiff city centre in 2022. The pan-Asian chain had a restaurant in Queen Street and has now also opened in St David's shopping centre.
Par 59
There is not just mini-golf at Par 59, Welsh footballer Gareth Bale's mini-golfing bar, but you can also enjoy some food. Dirty Birdie serves up a custom-designed menu of buttermilk fried chicken dishes along with brand-new vegan options. You can read more about Par 59 here.
Little Kochi
Specialising in Indian cuisine Little Kochi opened in Albany Road in 2022. The restaurant is run by Albin Sunny, who set the restaurant up straight after graduating, and you can read his story here.
Cora
This is the first restaurant by renowned chef Lee Skeet who trained under Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing. The restaurant is situated in Pontcanna (above the equally delicious Milkwood) and seats just 12 people. It opened in January 2022 following a sell-out run of pop-ups and supper clubs at his flat in Cardiff Bay which he named 40 Days, 40 Nights.
Tonight Josephine
This bubblegum-pink cocktail bar is quite possibly the most flamboyant bar to hit the city and doesn't just serve drinks. You can enjoy a great bottomless brunch here while snapping your Instagram-perfect pics at this bar.
The Underdog
If it is pizza you are looking for they sell it by the slice at The Underdog which opened in 2022. You can also enjoy a great range of beer and cocktails at The Underdog.
BisGottis
If it is desserts you are after head to Cardiff Bay to enjoy BisGottis. This desert parlour offers everything from fluffy pancakes to gooey freak shakes.
The Cheesesteak Company
Selling loaded fries, burgers, hot dogs, and more The Cheesesteak Company opened in Crwys Road. The business started as a trailer in Nantgarw back in 2019 and the rest is history.
Five Guys
Fast-food burger chain Five Guys opened another branch, this one in Newport Road, in Cardiff in 2022. The burger chain, which was established in Washington DC in 1986, has a menu offering a range of burgers, beef dogs, and sandwiches, such as a BLT or grilled cheese sandwich, as well as milkshakes with 11 flavours and ingredients that can be combined. You'll also find them in the city centre and Cardiff Bay.
Da Iawn Steakhouse
Da Iawn Steakhouse opened in Wellfield Road on the former site of acclaimed pizzeria Anatoni’s and is located next door to its sister restaurant Sushi Life. To go with the mains of mostly steak and some vegetarian options side dishes include hand-cut chips, mashed potatoes, fresh salads, and roasted vegetables.
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